As the number of (particularly international) flights increase, there is a corresponding increase in the danger of contaminating vulnerable human and agricultural environments with invasive insects. Invasive insects can have devastating consequences for the agricultural production of the affected environments. For example, the brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) continues to cause considerable damage to United States (US) East Coast apple, peach, and grape crops. For example, apple growers in the US Mid-Atlantic region reported nearly $40 million in crop damage from the insect.
Other invasive insects spread disease among humans and animals. For example, a variety of mosquitoes spread a wide range of dangerous diseases including malaria, dengue fever, west nile virus, and yellow fever. International air travel is thought to be one reason why the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) has become so firmly established on the US East Coast and in many non-native locations around the world.
The airline industry, in general, has been slow to address the problem. Some airlines apply a variety of aerosol insecticides to try to “disinsect” aircraft interiors. Airlines also have entire aircraft treated at regular intervals with contact residual insecticides, including seats and carpets in passenger cabins. However, the use of insecticides is problematic because some members of the public are sensitive to the chemicals used in the insecticides. The problem is compounded because the chemical odor associated with the aerosols detracts from the otherwise desirable environment inside the cabin and further exacerbates the problem of public sensitivity, particularly among senior citizens, infants, and the immunocompromised. Flight crews who repeatedly spend extended amounts of time in the aircraft are also impacted and may suffer negative effects from exposure to the chemicals in the insecticides.
There is also some use of “air curtain” equipment, which prevents entry of insects into aircraft while passengers are embarking or disembarking. Any insects attempting to fly into the aircraft must overcome the substantial machine-generated air flow across the aircraft cabin door used for passenger entry.
Although the “air curtain” provides some contamination protection, the air curtain cannot provide an actually physical barrier, and installation of air curtain machinery for all aircraft doors may not be possible or practical. Further, the non-uniform design of aircraft doorways may negatively impact the effectiveness of some air curtain machinery.
The need exists for a means of minimizing the vulnerability of aircraft cabins to contamination by damaging and disease-causing insects, particularly while aircraft are on the ground with cabin doors open. The apparatus described herein comprises a self closing door that attaches easily to the exterior of essentially all aircraft and provides a physical barrier to the entry of insects into the cabin. The current door apparatus is inexpensive and versatile, and can be used either alone, or in combination with current conventional insect exclusion techniques and devices.